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The Rock of Gibraltar is more interesting than you might guess. First, it's large. It stands 1,398 feet high. Also, Gibraltar is at a narrow spot at the west end of the Mediterranean. To the south across the sea is Africa. From the Rock of Gibraltar to the continent of Africa is only about fourteen miles. Finally, the rock is home to about three hundred Barbary macaques, a kind of monkey. These are the only wild monkeys in all of Europe.

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For centuries, ships sailing between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans faced a very long journey. A vessel going from New York to San Francisco had to sail all the way around South America. That twelve-thousand-mile trip took almost ten weeks. Eventually, the United States addressed this issue. Workers dug an enormous canal, fifty miles long. It went through a narrow piece of land in the country of Panama. The canal shortened the voyage from New York to San Francisco by eight thousand miles.

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Although there are many kinds of writing, most people divide texts into two different types: fiction and nonfiction. Fiction means stories that are made up. Charlotte's Web is fiction because, of course, spiders and pigs don't really talk. Nonfiction, however, gives you facts about the real world. You can find nonfiction books about history, science, real people, animals, and many other topics. Nonfiction also includes newspapers and textbooks, while fiction includes stories, plays, and novels. Reading both fiction and nonfiction can be fun and educational.

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Until recently, the six-foot-long jumbo squid was rarely seen north of California. Why, then, have they expanded their range as far north as Alaska? It turns out the weather is to blame. Warmer ocean temperatures led to lower levels of nutrients in the waters where the squid usually hunt. That resulted in lower numbers of the squid's prey, such as fish and crabs. Due to the lack of food, many of the squid are swimming north in search of cooler waters and more food.

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The ocean floor isn't flat or boring like you might think. It's actually full of amazing hidden features. For example, the Mariana Trench is a huge valley in the ocean floor. The bottom of the trench is the deepest place on Earth, over six miles below sea level. The ocean floor also has mountains so tall that they can be seen above water. For instance, Mauna Kea, in Hawaii, is even taller than Mount Everest if you measure from the ocean floor.

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Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta lived in the fourteenth century. He grew up in Morocco, in northern Africa. In 1325, he left home to travel. He went to Tanzania, Africa, in 1330 and then to India in about 1333. His journeys were long, dangerous, and full of adventures. He traveled to China and Spain. Then, in 1352, he crossed Africa's Sahara Desert to visit the African kingdom of Mali. He returned home in 1355. Ibn Battuta's descriptions of his travels give us important information about the world of his time.

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When gold was discovered in California in 1848, store owner Sam Brannan saw his chance to get rich. He filled a bottle with gold dust and showed it to people in San Francisco. His efforts helped set off the California Gold Rush. Hundreds of thousands of people soon flooded to California, looking for gold. As a result, many of the miners came to Brannan's store to buy supplies. Because of this, Brannan made a lot of money selling supplies. Most miners didn't get rich, but Brannan did.

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During World War II, the United States needed a way to get messages to soldiers. They wanted a code that the enemy could not understand. One system they used came from the Navajo language. The military asked Navajo soldiers to develop a code based on their language. By remembering a complicated code, the soldiers could send messages that only other U.S. soldiers would understand. Their work helped save lives and win victories.

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Different animals are good at guarding in different situations. Some people own dogs to guard their homes. Dogs can bark a warning when strangers (or mail carriers) show up. Dogs usually live well in city homes. But if you're in the country, you might prefer a donkey instead. That's especially true if you have sheep, pigs, or horses to protect. Donkeys can fight off coyotes and wolves better than many dogs. A donkey is easier to care for, too. It can just eat the grass in the pasture with the other animals.

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You've probably heard of Yellowstone National Park, but how much do you know about it? Did you realize, for example, that Yellowstone was the world's first national park? In addition, this park is enormous. It's larger than the state of Delaware! People visit Yellowstone to see animals such as moose and bears. They also enjoy beautiful mountains and waterfalls, and more. It's well worth a visit.

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